Mike Fisher sums up Murray situation perfectly

[reddyuta]

The thing I really don't understand is how Adrian Peterson is going to be that much cheaper than Murray? Shorter deal?

no guarantee at all,AD has to make a deal and sign on a incentive laden deal and it is all predicated on him willing to play for us.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

You're right. That's why, besides Murray, we've had good ones such as Barber, Felix, Randle, rashad Lee, julius Jones, troy.hambrick that have really put us over the edge

I don't know....those guys didn't have GREAT careers but they had some solid years. Barber, Felix and Choice one year gave us a top 5 running game.

 

[Doomsday101]

None of them played with an offensive line and others didn't even have a QB.

I think you're nuts if you think Murray is the guy that put this team "over the edge."

No he just accounts for 40% of the Dallas offense

 

[Future]

Ugh, where were you this year?! How is that even a question?

Hey guys, let's go back to a platoon of JAGS. Cause our offensive line is that good!! Wishful thinking.

It is that good. Murray, quite frankly, was a JAG until this year. It just baffles me that people think Murray is some sort of a special runner.

I guess the identity could be a guy who cannot consistently move the chains, but one in a while breaks off a wonderful move, yet the team is not near as potent with the new guy.

My point is that any guy who gets the ball 20 times a game is going to give the team identity. Whether its Toby Gearheart or Walter Peyton, give a guy the ball on nearly half of your plays and he's going to establish the identity. I don't know how good Randle is/will/would be, but to act like he wouldn't be able to move the sticks behind this line I think is a little shortsighted.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Forget whether DeMarco is as good as Charles. The point is that in Dallas, he will never be paid $9 million a year. Nor, as things presently stand, will he be tagged, locking him in at $11 million for a year. Simply, the Cowboys' days of paying those sorts of dollars to running backs are over. And the reasons are two-fold.

One, they have wisely altered their entire philosophy on the running back position. In 2008, they fell in love with the idea that Marion Barber had plenty of football life left, and rewarded him with a seven-year deal worth $45 million.

Two years later, Barber was done with the Cowboys and essentially done with football.

Right about the same time, the Cowboys thought themselves so blessed at the position that they could afford to draft a "specialty'' player as a backup. They did so by spending the 22nd overall pick on Felix Jones.

A few years later, when his rookie contract expired, so did his unproductive stint in Dallas. (The fact that the Cowboys scouting department judged him to be superior to Ray Rice, Matt Forte and Charles is a story for another day.)

One year following the re-upping of Barber and the drafting of Felix, the 2009 Cowboys looked at their second-round draft board, and with the 51st-overall pick, saw a player with a first-round grade sitting right there.

And they passed on drafting LeSean McCoy. Why? Because they felt they were already well-stocked at the position with Barber and Felix.

I'm ready to throw up now.

 

[TwoDeep3]

It is that good. Murray, quite frankly, was a JAG until this year. It just baffles me that people think Murray is some sort of a special runner.

My point is that any guy who gets the ball 20 times a game is going to give the team identity. Whether its Toby Gearheart or Walter Peyton, give a guy the ball on nearly half of your plays and he's going to establish the identity. I don't know how good Randle is/will/would be, but to act like he wouldn't be able to move the sticks behind this line I think is a little shortsighted.

Or looking at the first time since Emmitt where we had a guy moving the pile forward, and that has nothing to do with the line, because he did so even on plays where he turned a loss into a yard, makes no sense and is shortsighted.

Hambrick looked like a world-shaker...until he was the starter.

 

[Future]

No he just accounts for 40% of the Dallas offense

So what? How much offensive production did he cost us not only from leaving yards on the field, but turning the football over?

 

[The Quest for Six]

You're right. That's why, besides Murray, we've had good ones such as Barber, Felix, Randle, rashad Lee, julius Jones, troy.hambrick that have really put us over the edge

a dominant offensive line wins football games, not over paid running backs, how did Barbers 7 year deal workout after his flash in the pan year, or Julius Jones flash or Hambrick's one year flash in the pan year, were you for giving them long term over paid deals.....now you want to give Murray a high priced long term deal and then find yourself with more dead money on the cap further down the road ...I think it was Norm Hitzges that broke it down about running backs that carry the load and then receive a long term deal AND never reach that pinnacle again in production after and decline rapidly.....so no I'm not interested in giving any running back a high priced long term deal, 4 for 16 and that it, if Murray wants more, there's better options to spend that money on, not throw away running backs

 

[Doomsday101]

So what? How much offensive production did he cost us not only from leaving yards on the field, but turning the football over?

Yeah he turned the ball over, but he also has done an outstanding job that is why he was given the award something people who have common sense understands. This is not a plug and play position it takes talent and yes OL is a part of that but Murray bring a lot to the table, his yards after contact lead the NFL, his 57 catches on the season has been a big help his ability to block has been a big help and not all RB can do that. You talk about just running well the position entails more than just running the ball, Murray is an all around RB and as we have seen in Dallas before it is not that easy to replace a back who can do it all.

 

[Future]

Or looking at the first time since Emmitt where we had a guy moving the pile forward, and that has nothing to do with the line, because he did so even on plays where he turned a loss into a yard, makes no sense and is shortsighted.

Hambrick looked like a world-shaker...until he was the starter.

You know how many backs in this league turn a loss into a yard? Probably better than half.

And not for nothing, MBIII was pretty darn good at moving the pile. And Hambrick had a putrid OL and Quincy freaking Carter at QB. I don't think he had many games where he got 80 yards before contact...

 

[Future]

Yeah he turned the ball over, but he also has done an outstanding job that is why he was given the award something people who have common sense understands. This is not a plug and play position it takes talent and yes OL is a part of that but Murray bring a lot to the table, his yards after contact lead the NFL, his 57 catches on the season has been a big help his ability to block has been a big help and not all RB can do that. You talk about just running well the position entails more than just running the ball, Murray is an all around RB and as we have seen in Dallas before it is not that easy to replace a back who can do it all.

What are you even debating? I'm not arguing with any of that, yea, he played very well this year. But his pass protection isn't what put this team over the edge. It's like you're responding to me saying we should have cut him week 9, I never even said we shouldn't resign him.

 

[Doomsday101]

What are you even debating? I'm not arguing with any of that, yea, he played very well this year. But his pass protection isn't what put this team over the edge. It's like you're responding to me saying we should have cut him week 9, I never even said we shouldn't resign him.

His overall play was a big reason including pass protection including running and catching it is part of the position and not just anyone can do that.

 

[Doomsday101]

I like Murray but think it is time to move on to a younger player that would not only be cheaper but also have more tread on the tires. Spend the money saved from letting Murray walk on a better right tackle or along the defensive line.

Craig

I'm sure much of the draft will be directed at defense. Outside of signing our main FA I don't think Dallas will look at anything other than mid level FA

 

[Rockport]

Barber=different situation. We just had a shot at the super bowl largely because of our one running back

I think the offensive line had a little bit to do with it.

 

[Future]

His overall play was a big reason including pass protection including running and catching it is part of the position and not just anyone can do that.

There is a huge difference between "Big Reason" and "Pushed us over the edge."

 

[Arkyvarminter]

He won't be.

Well, if Garrett has to choose between the two he's going with Murray....

 

[Doomsday101]

There is a huge difference between "Big Reason" and "Pushed us over the edge."

I don't think Dallas gets to 12-4 without him put it that way. Not saying there is no other backs who could not do it but those backs are not some dime a dozen RB and sure as hell not in the 4 mill a year range.

 

[Alexander]

Barber=different situation. We just had a shot at the super bowl largely because of our one running back

We had the shot at the Super Bowl just as much for the commitment to the run and the resources invested on the OL.

Look, Murray had a great year. But is he is special talent with a proven track record like Emmitt Smith? Is he like Barry Sanders capable of making something out of nothing and scoring from anywhere?

He could not take this play:



And score the easy TD to seal a playoff win.

So why would you pay premium?

 

[erod]

Jerry has convinced himself that any one of 500 running backs can handle the workload. But Murray gets the dirty yards others do not. .

And many other backs get the open-field yards that Murray does not.

 

[erod]

No he just accounts for 40% of the Dallas offense

As would Frank Gore or Marshawn Lynch or Adrian Peterson or Matt Forte or Leveon Bell or Arian Foster or Eddie Lacy or Jamaal Charles......

Murray had the good fortune of playing here, too. And if you haven't noticed, his burst is going fast. He's markedly slower than he was two years ago.

He runs tough, blocks well, and is a super player, but he can be replaced.